Pakistan records 37% drop in terrorist attacks in October

Pakistan witnessed a notable decline in terrorist violence during October, with attacks falling by 37 per cent compared with the previous month, according to a new security assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

The Islamabad-based think tank recorded 143 terrorist attacks across the country in October, down from 226 in September. The decline marked a reversal after two consecutive months of rising militant activity.

The reduction was accompanied by a significant drop in casualties. Terrorist attacks claimed 111 lives in October, compared with 260 in September, representing a 57 per cent decrease. The number of injured people also fell by 71 per cent, from 242 to 69.

The report attributed much of the improvement to reduced militant activity in Balochistan and mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Suicide attacks also registered a sharp decline during the month.

According to PICSS, only one suicide attack was recorded in October, compared with three in September. The October incident involved a vehicle-borne explosive attack but caused no deaths or injuries. In September, suicide attacks had killed 45 people and injured 138 others.

Meanwhile, security forces continued counterterrorism operations across the country. These operations resulted in the killing of 156 militants and the arrest of seven suspected terrorists during October. Two security personnel and three civilians were killed, while two security personnel sustained injuries.

Balochistan recorded the largest reduction in terrorist attacks, with incidents falling 46 per cent to 71 in October from 132 in September. Deaths linked to these attacks dropped from 136 to 44, while injuries decreased from 63 to 37.

Security operations in the province resulted in the killing of 79 militants. However, the province continued to face security challenges, including an increase in kidnappings.

In mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, excluding the former tribal districts, terrorist attacks declined by 31 per cent, from 58 to 40. Fatalities fell from 90 to 38, while injuries dropped sharply from 165 to 19.

Counterterrorism operations in the region killed 42 militants, while two security personnel lost their lives.

The former tribal districts recorded a relatively smaller improvement, with attacks declining by 12 per cent, from 34 to 30. Deaths decreased from 33 to 25, although injuries increased slightly from 11 to 13. Security forces killed another 35 militants during operations in the region.

Punjab recorded two terrorist attacks in October, compared with none in September. The incidents claimed four lives, although no injuries were reported.

Sindh reported no terrorist attacks during the month. However, security agencies arrested seven suspected militants during counterterrorism operations.

Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan also reported no terrorist attacks during October.

Despite the overall decline in militant violence, kidnappings increased significantly and remained a major security challenge.

PICSS documented 88 people kidnapped in terrorist-related incidents during October, compared with 72 in September, marking a 22 per cent increase. This was the highest monthly figure recorded over the preceding 12 months.

Balochistan accounted for 70 of the reported cases, representing nearly 80 per cent of the national total. The figures indicate that kidnapping continues to be an important tactic used by militant groups despite the reduction in attacks and casualties.

The report cautioned that the monthly improvement does not necessarily reflect a lasting reduction in militant violence.

Pakistan recorded 1,376 terrorist attacks during the first 10 months of 2026. Terrorist incidents and counterterrorism operations during this period collectively resulted in 3,902 deaths.

The fatalities included 645 security personnel, 65 peace committee members, 595 civilians and 2,597 militants. Another 1,953 people were injured, including 639 security personnel, 62 peace committee members, 1,055 civilians and 197 militants.

Compared with the same period in 2025, terrorist attacks increased by 53 per cent, while the combined death toll rose by 36 per cent.

Separately, a recent assessment by the Centre for Research and Security Studies reported an 83 per cent increase in violence-related fatalities during the third quarter of 2026, highlighting the continuing security challenges despite October’s encouraging figures.